Optimizing the Board Chair/CEO Relationship

This workshop is designed for Board Chairs (incoming or existing) and CEOs to attend together

The Board Chair/CEO relationship is among the most critical for achieving success in a nonprofit and fulfilling its mission. This dynamic duo touches every area of board performance and drives an organization’s outcomes. Many Board Chair and CEO relationships are good, but leaders know they could be so much better. With the challenges and changes organizations must face, leaders should not settle for a good relationship when it could be great. To make this relationship great, you need to know where to start, what discussions are the most important and how to allocate time to build the Board Chair/CEO relationship.

In this workshop, we provide a framework for thinking about the behaviors, activities and work patterns between the Board Chair and CEO that generate the highest level of trust, communication and impact for an organization. Through quick assessments, exercises and group discussions, we will explore how the critical Board Chair/CEO relationship can be optimized over time and deliver the greatest impact. Participants will walk away with an action plan that will help reinforce what they have learned including: • Identify the opportunities to drive greater impact through the Board Chair-CEO relationship

• Develop strategies and tactics in peer-to-peer discussions that can be applied in participants’ organizations

• Determine the strengths and weaknesses of their own Board Chair-CEO partnership and what may need to change in order to embrace bold leadership